Backup / Restore XP Activation

When you activate Windows XP, Microsoft stores the data in the Windows Product Activation database files wpa.dbl and Wpa.bak in the folder %systemroot%\system32. If you change the motherboard or make significant hardware changes, XP will require you to reactive. But if you plan to reinstall XP on the same hardware, you can back up the activation status and then restore it after you reinstall and avoid the activation process. You can backup the Windows Product Activation database files to diskette. They are very small. A directory listing from my XP Pro workstation:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dir wp*
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 8447-0571

Directory of C:\WINDOWS\system32

10/24/2001  08:28 PM            12,584 wpa.bak
01/14/2002  09:05 AM            12,642 wpa.dbl

After you reinstall XP, to restore the Windows Product Activation database files:

• Start XP to Minimal Safe mode
• Change directory to the \%systemroot%\system32 folder
• Rename the newly created wpa.dbl to wpa.nonactivated and wpa.bak, if it exists, to wpabak.nonactivated.
• Copy your backed up wpa.dbl and wpb.bak files to the system32 folder
• Reboot

This should work if you want to avoid activating XP after a reinstall or restore on the same or very similar hardware. It will not work if the hardware is significantly different from that in place when the Windows Product Activation database files were created. This is not a hack to avoid activating installations.

Bypass BIOS Passwords

BIOS passwords can be add extra layer of security for desktop and laptop computers, and are used to either prevent a user from changing the BIOS settings or to prevent the PC from booting without a password. BIOS passwords can also be a liability if a user forgot their passwords, or if a malicious user changes the password. Sending the unit back to the manufacturer to have the BIOS reset can be expensive and is usually not covered in an a typical warranty. However, there are a few known backdoors and other tricks of the trade that can be used to bypass or reset the BIOS password on most systems.

Backdoor Passwords

Many BIOS manufacturers have provided backdoor passwords that can be used to access the BIOS setup in the event you have lost your password. These passwords are case sensitive, so you may wish to try a variety of combinations.

WARNING: Some BIOS configurations will lock you out of the system completely if you type in an incorrect password more than 3 times. Read your manufacturers documentation for the BIOS setting before you begin typing in passwords.

Award BIOS backdoor passwords:

ALFAROME		BIOSTAR		KDD		ZAAADA
ALLy		CONCAT		Lkwpeter		ZBAAACA
aLLy		CONDO		LKWPETER		ZJAAADC
aLLY		Condo		PINT		01322222
ALLY		d8on		pint		589589
aPAf		djonet		SER		589721
_award		HLT		SKY_FOX		595595
AWARD_SW		J64		SYXZ		598598
AWARD?SW		J256		syxz
AWARD SW		J262		shift + syxz
AWARD PW		j332		TTPTHA
AWKWARD		j322
awkward

AMI BIOS Backdoor Passwords:

AMI		BIOS		PASSWORD		HEWITT RAND
AMI?SW		AMI_SW		LKWPETER		CONDO

Phoenix BIOS Backdoor Passwords:

phoenix

PHOENIX

CMOS

BIOS

Misc. Common Passwords

ALFAROME		BIOSTAR		biostar		biosstar
CMOS		cmos		LKWPETER		lkwpeter
setup		SETUP		Syxz		Wodj

Other BIOS Passwords by Manufacturer

Manufacturer	Password
VOBIS & IBM	merlin
Dell	Dell
Biostar	Biostar
Compaq	Compaq
Enox	xo11nE
Epox	central
Freetech	Posterie
IWill	iwill
Jetway	spooml
Packard Bell	bell9
QDI	QDI
Siemens	SKY_FOX
TMC	BIGO
Toshiba	Toshiba

Toshiba BIOS

Most Toshiba laptops and some desktop systems will bypass the BIOS password if the left shift key is held down during boot

IBM Aptiva BIOS

Press both mouse buttons repeatedly during the boot

Online Password Cracking System

This password cracking system is powered by the rainbow tables.

http://plain-text.info/add/
http://lasecwww.epfl.ch/~oechslin/projects/ophcrack/

Analogs of Windows software in Linux

Thinking of migrating from windows to linux. This table provides the equivalent of windows software available under linux platform.

http://www.linuxrsp.ru/win-lin-soft/table-eng.html